One year after five quarterbacks were drafted in the top 15, only one was selected in the first 73 picks of the 2022 NFL draft. Three others were drafted before the end of Round 3, and only two more came off the board before Round 7. It was certainly a down year for the quarterback class — but that doesn’t mean we won’t see some rookies getting starts under center at some point during the 2022 season.
So when will we see the young QBs debut? Could first-rounder Kenny Pickett beat Mitch Trubisky right out of the gate for the Steelers’ gig? Will Atlanta’s Desmond Ridder or Carolina’s Matt Corral push to start for their rebuilding franchises? And how long will Malik Willis have to wait behind Ryan Tannehill in Tennessee?
Our NFL Nation reporters broke it all down, giving chances each could start in Week 1 or conversely sit the entire season before landing at their best prediction for when the rookie QBs could see their first NFL starts. Plus, we take a quick look at expected roles for the midrounder QBs selected by New England and Washington. Let’s get started in Pittsburgh.
Jump to a QB:
Pickett | Ridder | Willis | Corral
Midrounder roles for 2022
Drafted: Round 1, No. 20
Competition to start: Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph
Chance of winning the starting job in Week 1: 2%. Throughout OTAs and minicamp, Pickett consistently took third-string reps behind Trubisky and Rudolph. To supplant Trubisky as the starter by Week 1, Pickett would have to be the second coming of Johnny Unitas as soon as he hits training camp. That’s not happening. And that’s OK — the Steelers don’t need to rush Pickett’s development.
Trubisky has looked comfortable and confident throughout offseason workouts, and his early rapport with the locker room signals that he’ll be a leader on this team. Add in the fact that the Steelers open on the road against the AFC champion Bengals, and it’s even more likely Trubisky begins as the starter.
Chance of sitting all season: 40%….
Source : espn
